Aechmea plant named ‘Del Cielo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aechmea  plant named ‘Del Cielo’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; creamy white, light green and green variegated leaves with green-colored margins and creamy white and yellow green-colored longitudinal stripes; inflorescences held upright and above the foliar plane on strong red-colored scapes; tightly branched inflorescences with dark violet blue-colored petals and lighter violet blue-colored sepals; and long-lasting inflorescences.

Botanical designation: Aechmea fendleri×Aechmea dichlamydea trinitensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DEL CIELO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Aechmea plant, botanically known as Aechmea fendleri×Aechmea dichlamydea trinitensis and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Del Cielo’.

The new Aechmea plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Aechmea fendleri×Aechmea dichlamydea trinitensis ‘Del Mar’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,421. The new Aechmea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within a population of plants of ‘Del Cielo’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Princeton, Fla. in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aechmea plant by offsets in a controlled greenhouse environment in Princeton, Fla. since 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Aechmea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Aechmea have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Del Cielo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Del Cielo’ as a new and distinct Aechmea plant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.     -   2. Creamy white, light green and green variegated leaves with         green-colored margins and creamy white and yellow green-colored         longitudinal stripes.     -   3. Inflorescences held upright and above the foliar plane on         strong red-colored scapes.     -   4. Tightly branched inflorescences with dark violet blue-colored         petals and lighter violet blue-colored sepals.     -   5. Long-lasting inflorescences.

Plants of the new Aechmea differ from plants of the parent, ‘Del Mar’, primarily in leaf color as plants of ‘Del Mar’ have solid green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Aechmea can be compared to plants of Aechmea fendleri×Aechmea dichlamydea trinitensis ‘America’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,762. Plants of the new Aechmea and ‘America’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aechmea are more compact and have shorter         leaves than plants of ‘America’.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Aechmea are more dense         than inflorescences of plants of ‘America’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Aechmea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Aechmea plant.

The photograph on the right side of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Del Cielo’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the left side of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Del Cielo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 20-cm containers during the summer in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Princeton, Fla. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 28° to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 22° C. and light levels ranged from 2,200 to 3,200 foot-candles. Plants were 14 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Aechmea fendleri×Aechmea dichlamydea     trinitensis ‘Del Cielo’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Aechmea     fendleri×Aechmea dichlamydea trinitensis ‘Del Mar’, disclosed in     U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,421. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By offsets.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 to 45 days at             temperatures ranging from 28° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 45 to 60 days at             temperatures ranging from 28° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             months at temperatures ranging from 28° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six             months at temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; yellow and             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching growth             habit; rosette leaves are erect when young, becoming             outwardly arching with development; plants readily produce             offsets; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil surface to top of leaf canopy.—About 53.3             cm.         -   Plant height, soil surface to top of inflorescence.—About             69.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 81.3 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; leaves clasping             and sessile; simple.         -   Length.—About 60 cm.         -   Width.—About 6.7 cm; at the base, about 11.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate, strap-like with a broad sheathing base.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Serrate and spinose.         -   Aspect.—Upright to arching with development.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; stiff.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Lustrous.         -   Venation.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             146C to 146D; towards the base, close to 145D. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Towards and at the margins,             close to 146B; central parallel longitudinal stripes, close             to 158C and close to 145A to 145B; venation, close to 146B             to 146C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Towards the             margins, close to 146B; central parallel longitudinal             stripes, close to 158D and close to 145B; venation, close to             146C to 146D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence form and arrangement.—Long, open terminal             panicles with tightly branched lateral panicles supported by             erect and strong scapes; about 70 lateral panicles each with             about twelve individual flowers; flowers distichous,             sessile.         -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about 12 to 16 weeks             after planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences of the new Aechmea             are very long-lasting, typically bract color will be             maintained for about two months in the interior and about             five months in the landscape depending on environmental             conditions; inflorescences persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 36 cm.         -   Inflorescence width.—About 12.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Ovoid, pointed. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             semi-glossy. Color: Close to 97A; towards the base, close to             97B; bract, close to N92B.         -   Flower length.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Three in a single whorl.             Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Elongated             ovate to lanceolate. Apex: Acute to mucronate. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, inner and             outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: When             opening, inner and outer surfaces: Distally, close to 90A;             proximally, close to 91B. Fully opened, inner and outer             surfaces: Distally, close to N92B; proximally, close to 91B;             venation, close to 91B; color does not change with             development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Three in a single whorl;             imbricate and tightly appressed to the petals. Length: About             1.4 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Pointed ovate to             lanceolate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,             inner surface: Slightly glossy to semi-glossy. Luster, outer             surface: Glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, inner             surface: Close to 93D. When opening and fully opened, outer             surface: Close to 96B.         -   Scapes.—Length to base of inflorescence: About 32 cm.             Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright.             Texture and luster: Farinose; matte. Color: Close to N34C             and 46D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to 155D.             Anther size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate.             Anther color: Close to 155B. Pollen: None observed. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2 mm. Style             length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 196B. Stigma             diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:             Close to 91C. Ovary color: Close to 196D.         -   Seeds.—Seed production has not been observed on plants of             the new Aechmea. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Aechmea have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 3° C. to about 36° C. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Aechmea have been     observed to be resistant to Pythium. Plants of the new Aechmea not     been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to     Aechmea plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Aechmea plant named ‘Del Cielo’ as illustrated and described. 